Do You Understand Me?

Over the past few decades, I’ve coached and trained scores of international professionals who are nonnative American English speakers and represent many varied professions.

A common question comes up in our sessions. Do you think your listeners understand you? Many of my clients work in positions of authority, e.g., physicians, attorneys, priests, managers, to name a few.  

A common response is that their listeners seem to understand, and they don’t complain, so it must be fine. Here lies the problem. When someone is in a position of authority, the listener may hesitate to provide negative feedback or ask for repetitions. They might complain to someone else, but not the actual speaker. They are either intimidated or do not want to embarrass the speaker.

I encourage my clients to acknowledge their accents and give permission to the listener to ask for repetitions if necessary. In fact, this is a good strategy whether the person has an accent or not. Our goal with our clients/patients/parishioners is to establish open and honest communication. If they are not comfortable asking for clarification by the professional, that goal cannot be achieved.

Recently, a client thought mentioning his accent would be a sign of weakness. We discussed the expression “the elephant in the room” and how the accent may be an unspoken challenge. I encourage my clients to embrace their cultural backgrounds. It is not necessary to eliminate their accent. However, it is critical to communicate effectively. If they “own” their communication style, their acknowledgment of their skills comes from a position of confidence that they are aware they have an accent and they are comfortable if some of their statements or questions require clarification.  

It all comes down to communication! What are your thoughts?

Post any questions or comments below or reach out to me about accents, public speaking, or communication skills at LKWilner@Successfully-Speaking.com.